This Isn’t Europe, Folks
19. Oct, 2008 
15 Comments
Being home in Vermont is definitely not Europe. In this waiting-averse country, I’ve already shed my Spanish mentality of “manana” — the magical day when everything will get done (and consequently never arrives). The fine art of waiting 30 minutes for your waiter to notice you, while maintaining a stylish air of indifference is unheard of stateside. We stress out over getting it fast, impatient over any hiccup that deigns to upset our schedule and quick to point out just how incompetent the slowpoke behind the counter is. There’s no afternoon siesta either. Oh the humanity.
But as much as New England isn’t Europe, Central and South America is really, really not Europe. As I’ve been planning the next leg of our trip, the differences have been stark. For this next phase we’re taking a different approach– driving. This time, we’ll be traveling from Mexico, through Central America and into South America, renting apartments in our favorite cities along the way. It will let my husband travel with me more, and I suspect we’ll enjoy having the flexibility to stay where we like or leave when we don’t.
In preparation for the trip, I pulled up google maps and begin charting the course. Vermont to North Carolina. Check. North Carolina to New Orleans. Check. New Orleans to Mexico City. City not found. What? Can’t find Mexico City? I google map just the city. Found. I map directions to Acapulco. Not found.
Google maps doesn’t work for Mexico, Central or South America.
I switch to Yahoo maps. New Orleans to Mexico City. Found! Success! Let’s try Mexico City to Belize. Not found. Damn! Foiled again.
Seriously, how am I supposed to plan thousands of miles worth of driving without an online map program? What, with a paper map, the old fashion way? What am I a sailor? Can we all just admit that south of Mexico is not so remote that google has to pretend like no one would ever drive there? You’re killing me google, killing me.
This leads me to wonder: would a GPS device like Tom-Tom work south of the border? What about a broadband aircard? Or our cell phones? Whatever happens, one thing is clear: we’re definitely not traveling around Europe this time. Gone are the days of meticilous multi-country transit maps. Gone are hourly high speed trains that whisk you off from Rome to Prague to Munich to Paris. Gone is the idea that you can find directions to the local pharmacist online.
Is that a bad thing? Not at all… I don’t want the entire world to be one large extension of the US and EU. But I will put this out there: expect lots of “Christine is completely lost in middle of some desert/jungle/mountain range” type posts in the coming months. That is, if I can get online.
Not that long ago, people traveled without Google, without online driving directions, without cell phones, without TomTom’s, without laptops & without internet cafe’s. The odd daring one even traveled without a map!
Adventure: a bold, usually risky undertaking; hazardous action of uncertain outcome.
I realised I wasn’t in Europe yesterday, when all the women at the beach were wearing bikini tops. It’s strange the things you get used to. (Currently in Western Australia.)
Guia Roji, the atlas of Mexico, has a very decent online site that functions somewhat similarly to MapQuest. Should get you around pretty well in Mex.
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Chris G: Good point, but in those days one didn’t work remotely on the road either!
Christines last blog post..This Isn’t Europe, Folks
I, too, have wondered about the lack of Aregentina in Google’s world. I just trust that there are roads, there are buses on those roads, and that I will figure it out. Good luck!!
I can’t advise you on destinations south of here, but had a funny driving experience this summer in Spain:
I had printed out a bunch of driving directions from the via Michelin website in advance, and attempted to read them to my husband as we navigated. At one point (on the way to Cordoba, I think) I read, “At the roundabout, take the 7th exit. Continue along Avenida del Campo de la Verdad.”
Seriously, the 7th exit? Off a roundabout? We missed it.
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Well, luckily driving Central America shouldn’t be too hard, it’s basically just one road straight down (other than that bit through Panama where there are no roads). Check out this website on the Pan-American highway (http://www.go-panamerican.com/index.php). There is also an e-book out there about driving in Central America on the Pan-American that has good reviews (http://www.escapeartist.com/Travel/eBooks/Driving_Pan-American_Highway/).
As for cell phones, I remember being on day two of my safari in the Serengeti when the driver’s cell phone rang. If you can get reception in the middle of the Serengeti plains, you can get reception anywhere!
Greg
Have you tried Microsoft’s version of the world? http://maps.live.com/
I always find they are really good where Google are not (and vice versa).
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I think that traveling without a clear map is exactly what an adventure should be! Your phone will work in Mexico and Central America, I’m not sure about South America, I found reception in Brazil a little flaky. But the concept of being free of electronic connections and strict road maps sounds refreshing to me!
Like Chris G said, people did it without google maps. I’m sure you will be fine!! You can work remotely when you stop in towns….I drove around part of Guatamala fine! you’ll make it!
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I went through the same frustration planning my trip to Mexico. I ordered a road map, but that takes time (our local book store doesn’t have one, nor does the library). Thank you TAMARA for your input: at least now I can figure out what I will be able to do in the time I will have there…still waiting for the road map.
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Tom-Tom or one of those has a Mexico program you can upload into the device. The Guia Roji’s are available online or at any gas station or supermarket once you get close to the border. I’m not sure about other cities, but in Puerto Vallarta, the Blue Map is awesome for local info.
I drove from Portland to Puerto Vallarta without a map. It wasn’t that hard since there were only like 3 highways. If you are on a schedule or it’s late in the day, always take the Cuota (toll) road. The libre roads can take you hundreds of miles out of the way, which is very scenic, but not somewhere you want to be when it gets dark!
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Honestly, don’t even bother trying to use the maps too much. Even the paper ones you get will inevitably be out of date or incorrect. If you do want something to go by, the best and cheapest way to get a map is from gas stations which often times give them for free and, as a bonus, sometimes show where gas stations are located. However, you will have to ask for directions a lot, so throw out the plan.
I like the idea of driving the whole trip, as it gives you a chance to stumble on more items of interest.
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When traveling in the US I just bought a Rand McNally road atlas, including the US and Mexico, at Wal-Mart.
I’d go with Tamara’s suggestion (http://maps.live.com is really good) or buy a map at a gas station as Kyle suggested.
Or if you want more of an adventure, skip using maps and just rely on road signs and directions from locals. That might take a bit longer though
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